Art Parker, left, relays the judges score to the announcer during the saddle bronc event at the PRCA Rodeo on Sunday at the Greeley Stampede Arena. This will be Parker's 40th year working at the Greeley Stampede.

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When it comes to seasoned veterans of the Greeley Stampede, Art Parker’s name is at the top of the list.

Rightfully so. Parker, 69, has been married to the annual Fourth of July event almost as long as he’s been married to his wife, Fran.

“Forty years,” he said of his longevity in giving up two weeks of vacation time each summer to corral horses, manage demo drivers, hang decorations, make sure hundreds of chairs get set out for each night show, feed hungry patrons and pour drinks to Stampede sponsors.

Over the past four decades, Parker has seen the Stampede from every perspective.

He was first asked to slice meat for the barbecue at the 1974 event by colleague and friend Carl Hirsch. From there he helped out in the calf chutes and eventually became a charter member of the Stampede Wranglers, the workforce of the Stampede that makes sure everything gets done. In 1983, he won their top hand award named after his friend Hirsch for his dedication and hard work to the organization.

In 1989, he joined the Stampede Committee and was chairman of the board in 1995.

He stumbled into a committee role, he said, because his dear friend Hirsch died the spring before he got to oversee his first rodeo as a committee member.

“Hank Scheel and I went to then chairman Harvey Green and told him we would make sure Carl’s job was completed. A few years later, Scheel was on the committee and Parker became his “trailboss,” or right-hand man.

“I met some really neat people, so many people that I’ve stayed friends with over the years,” Parker said.

Parker left the committee in 1996 and became an Old Bucker ­— the name given to retired committee members who still wish to help out in a limited capacity.

But for Parker, limited capacity was not enough. He went back to doing what he loved most — wrangling.

He is the only charter member to still be a part of the Wrangler organization, and one of only a handful of committee members to become or return to the Wranglers after serving on the committee.

But he did so because it’s in his blood.

Over the years, Parker has done a little bit of everything from overseeing the Demolition Derby to hanging decorations on the streets of Greeley to overseeing the chairs set up in the arena for night shows. He’s flipped pancakes, poured drinks and worked the rodeo.

He and friend Judy Dunn started the Stampede Riders in 1980, which is a precision horse riding team that acts as goodwill ambassadors for the Stampede. The entirely volunteer group presents the sponsor flags before each rodeo and travels the state riding in various parades as representatives of the Stampede. They also help out at the night shows and other events.

Parker was there when the Stampede grandstands burned down in 1977 and again in 1995 when the committee expanded them.

“I’ll never forget that day,” he said. “Carl and I were in Brush at an auction and we got a call on our two-way radio to get back to Greeley. We were just a couple of months away from the rodeo; we didn’t know if we were going to be able to go on.”

But they did. Parker said the one thing about the guys he’s worked with over the years is they get things done no matter what.

“I remember one year, the night before the parade, Jerry Pickett got really, really sick,” he said. “The entire committee jumped in to make sure that parade went off without a hitch.”

There is nothing Parker regrets and nothing he would do differently, he said. He’s enjoyed every step of the way and has no plans on leaving anytime soon.

Even now, in addition to flipping cakes and pouring whiskey, Parker can be found in the bucking chutes of every rodeo getting the horses to the chutes and turning in times to the judges.

“I always enjoyed the rodeo the most,” he said. “I went to my first rodeo when I was 9.”

He remembers free hot dog days when hot dogs didn’t get ordered, early Bunkhouse events where the food ran out and plenty of practical jokes played on each other whether as Wranglers or committee members.

“There was a lot of crazy things that happened,” he said.

But he said the best part was being able to enjoy it all with his family. His wife of 49 years drove the barrel racing truck with their three children all in car seats.

“They were still little then,” he said with a laugh about Terri, 46; Casey, 39; and Shelly, 36.

When Terri was 11, she carried the Winston Tobacco flag at every grand entry for the rodeo. When federal laws began prohibiting tobacco sponsorships, Winston gave her the flag. She had it signed by many of the cowboys, announcers and clowns. She still has it today.

“It was neat because my entire family got involved,” he said.

Parker is not looking forward to the day it all comes to an end, he said. He will be at it for as long as his health allows. In fact, he grows silent and says it’s sad to even think of that possibility.

“Admittedly, I’m not as fast as I used to be. But I’m still capable,” he said with a laugh. “There are so many great memories and great people. I know the day is coming, but I’m hoping it’s not anytime in the near future.”